There’s plenty of ‘cool’ things to keep children of all ages entertained at the Australian National Maritime Museum with an amazing Antarctic inspired school holiday program this April. Create a Antarctic animal snowdome, produce your own South Pole claymation for YouTube. Plus there’s the museum’s latest exhibitions Rescue, Ships and the Sea, and Elysium Epic, a stunning visual exhibition of life above and below the Antarctic ice, as well as a special evening with the Navy onboard HMAS Vampire and HMAS Advance.

Daily during school holidays, 10 am–4 pm (hourly sessions) Delve into the amazing Antarctic environment with arts and craft, cool science experiments, dress-ups and games. Uncover how global warming affects the critters of the South Pole. Create your own Antarctic animal snowdome and make a weather balloon mobile. For ages 5–12 years. Child $8.50. Adults general museum fees apply. Members and Big Ticket Free.

Antartic on Film Marathon

Sunday 14 April, 10.30 am-4.30 pm Enjoy an epic screening of acclaimed Antarctic films and documentaries, from animated features with our favourite toe tapping penguins in Happy Feet to spectacular documentaries on wildlife, science and exploration including March of the Penguins. Free with museum entry. Australian National Maritime Museum

Thursday 18 and Wednesday 24 April, 10 am–3 pm Learn photographic and editing techniques to produce your own stop-motion and clay animations inspired by the Antarctic wildlife in the Elysium Epic exhibition. Create your own short animation to take home and have your work featured on the museum’s YouTube channel. For ages 8–14 years. $40.Bookings essential: 9298 3655, bookings@anmm.gov.au or Australian National Maritime Museum

Of course there’s plenty of free things to see and do too, including the museum’s Cabinet of Curiosities where kids can explore wonderful and curious scientific objects from our education collection. The whole family can enjoy our Free Familiy Movies each day at 2pm during the school holidays. For full details of the Australian National Maritime Museum’s school holiday program visit Australian National Maritime Museum Holiday

General entry to the museum’s galleries and exhibitions is $7 per adult, $3.50 per child/concession or $17.50 for a family. The museum’s Big Ticket, which includes access to the Navy destroyer HMAS Vampire, submarine HMAS Onslow and the Endeavour replica is $25 per adult, $15 per child or $65 for a family. For more information visit Australian National Maritime Museum Holiday